The Giants opened up their voluntary OTA’s today, which came with one big surprise. Hakeem Nicks did not attend, leaving the Giants without their top-2 receivers (as expected Victor Cruz was not present either). Suffice to say, Tom Coughlin was not happy.
Coughlin was caught off guard, as he was expecting Nicks to be in attendance Wednesday. “I don’t know,” Coughlin told the New York Daily News. “He should be here.” Eli Manning was equally as surprised as he told The Record’s Art Stapleton, “You know, I had no reason to think he wasn’t going to be here.”
Nicks and Cruz are both entering contract years, and some believe Nicks wanted to send a message to the Giants front office. I do not hold the same opinion as them, as Nicks has proven he is not a diva, and there has been no indications that he is unhappy with contract negotiations up to this point. In my opinion, Nicks was actually smart to not attend OTA’s as he fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during last years OTA’s. He was hampered by this all season long, and he also had off-season knee surgery, so he might be taking a cautious approach. After all, OTA’s are voluntary.
You cannot argue with Coughlin’s coaching tactics, as he has delivered 2 super bowls since 2007. We will just have to wait and see how things shake up, and how Nicks will respond to being called out publicly.
Justin Lerner: PureSportsNY